Mandela Championship under way

SOUTH African Tim Clark and Dane Morten Orum Madsen shared the lead after the Nelson Mandela Championship finally got under way on Saturday after rain delayed play for two days.

Amid news Mr Mandela had been hospitalised for ''medical attention'', Clark and Madsen carded five-under-par 60s at the Royal Durban Golf Club, reduced from the initial par 70 to par-65 over 5594 metres.

The rain-hit tournament was also reduced to 36 holes.

Just as the round was finishing, the presidency announced the country's first black president, now 94, had been hospitalised for ''medical attention … consistent with his age''.

''There is no cause for alarm,'' said presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj in a statement.

The inaugural €1 million ($1.23 million) tournament, named after the Noble Peace laureate, was delayed two days after summer showers soaked the course this week.

Clark, 36, shot six birdies and one bogey for his early lead before Madsen later caught up.

''It's really a case of when we did get to play, come out, try and play well and put yourself in a position,'' Clark said. ''So I'm happy to have done that; we obviously can't tell what the future holds, but I do hope we get to play some more golf. Normally, you can sort of pace yourself, but right now you've got to go as low as you can and be aggressive.''

Rookie Madsen, fresh from qualifying school, dropped a stroke on the par-five first hole.

His bunker shot was braked by South African Ruan de Smidt's ball on the second hole, and his par there got him going again.

''That was a nice momentum thing for me and really got me going again. I played some really solid golf from there,'' the 24-year-old said.

Only one stroke behind, South Africa's Lindani Ndwandwe and Englishman Chris Lloyd are breathing down the leaders' necks.

■Overnight leader Charl Schwartzel carded a third-round 68 to extend his lead over Daniel Chopra to five shots at the Thailand Golf Championship on Saturday.

Schwartzel, last year's runner-up, shot three birdies and an eagle at the Amata Spring Country Club to go along with a bogey for an overall 18-under 198, staying on track to end a victory drought that stretches back to his Masters win in 2011.

''I feel comfortable playing this golf course. That's the biggest key … just feel comfortable whatever you do. If that means being aggressive, then that's being aggressive.

Chopra, who started the round four strokes back, bounced back from a double bogey on the fifth to fire a 69.

''I played fairly well. I had a couple of loose shots but nothing was really too bad,'' Chopra, a two-time PGA Tour winner, said.

''I'm five behind. Obviously, my goal is to go out there and try to make it uncomfortable for Charl. Nobody wants to see him run away with it. I want to do my best to make it close down the stretch.''

Twenty-five players, including local Thitiphun Chuayprakong, finished their second rounds on Saturday after bad light cut short play on Friday. Chuayprakong scored a birdie on the last to finish his postponed second round with a 67, but an uneven round of 71 knocked him back to 204 and third place.

''Despite the lowest score in three days, I felt most satisfied today based on how I could control my nerves under a situation like this,'' Chuayprakong said.

''I was handling it quite well playing alongside a star player like Schwartzel in the leading squad.''

Sergio Garcia of Spain was fourth, eight shots back, after a third-round 68. Australian Scott Hend (69) is another shot back in fifth place.

AGENCIES

This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or mirroring is prohibited.